Early Autumn in Anchorage

I had planned on writing about our State Fair, but somehow just never got around to it. .. it was unique in that the long daylight hours and more sunshine than ever produced some record breaking vegetables. I think both cabbage and pumpkins broke the world record in their size. I attended a "Fungus Fair" in Girdwood last week, also, and some of the mountain men brought in wild mushrooms, which were about 15" in circumference, and about a foot high, too. I didn't eat any of these, as I guess they passed the tasty size, but did enjoy other treats and the live band playing in a large tent set up outside the courtyard of the beautiful Alyeska Prince Hotel.

Among the many friends who visited at our table was the doctor, who inserted my new knees. The funny part of this is that I called, "Hey, Tim" to him when he was passing, and I would never even dream of calling "MY" doctor by his first name, especially since he's half my age, too! But the funny coincidence is that the girl we were visiting is his accountant, and she's a looker, so he was happy to visit with us. We did stayed overnight at her lovely home, and returned to Anchorage Sunday morning in time for church.

Now if you view the mountain range east of Anchorage, you will see 'termination dust' each morning, and it won't be long until "it" reaches town. Yes, this means snow. The colors of fall are just beautiful, and summer activities have been replaced by club meetings, concert series, opera, etc. My freezer is full of silver salmon, summer fruit and berries, and we will survive the long winter with pot lucks at the American Legion, Pioneers of Alaska, etc. The Petroleum Club has started their Sunday football breakfasts and Monday night football, so here we go!!!

Alaska State Fair

It should come as no surprise to you that we have a super state fair. Everything in Alaska is big, and this image shows what a 10 hr. a day of daylight can do for veggies. Here's the caption I copied from their website:

Scott Robb tends to his giant cabbages in his Palmer yard last week. Robb competes in the annual cabbage competition at the Alaska State Fair and holds seven state fair records. He admits he has a bit of an obsession; his wife has a slightly different description. "I call him psychogrower," she said

There are a minimal number of farm animals at the fair, and the usual petting zoo. I like the loggers, and never tire of watching them roll on the logs. Add the usual rides, booths, and exhibits and you have an idea of 'how to spend a long day'. This is a pretty small report on a big event for Alaska, but you get the idea.

One of the special events at the fair is the introduction of the new Alaska Quarter, which took a while for the government to issue, but they will be giving some out and selling more at the fair. So many reasons to visit big, wild Alaska, but especially so because the rains have finally stops and the big yellow ball is in the sky. . .